Businesses to to undergo compliance hearings for liquor licenses in Raynham

Sunday

Jan 12, 2014 at 7:34 PMJan 12, 2014 at 7:38 PM

Walmart and China Garden, both located in Raynham, are being called before the Raynham Board of Selectmen on Tuesday night after recent undercover compliance checks were conducted at all 18 establishments in the town that sell liquor. The Raynham Police Department found both China Garden and Walmart in violation of the law against selling alcohol to minors.

Marc Larocque Enterprise Staff Writer @Enterprise_Marc

RAYNHAM — Two businesses in Raynham, a large corporate-owned "superstore" and a long-lived Chinese restaurant, are both being brought into Town Hall for compliance hearings on Tuesday night after recent violations for serving alcohol to minors.

Walmart and China Garden, both located in Raynham, are being called before the Raynham Board of Selectmen on Tuesday night after recent undercover compliance checks were conducted at all 18 establishments in the town that sell liquor. The Raynham Police Department found both China Garden and Walmart in violation of the law against selling alcohol to minors.

Joseph Pacheco, Chairperson of the Raynham Board of Selectmen, which duals as the town's Board of Health, said that he takes the underage alcohol violations "very seriously" and noted that both of the businesses are repeat offenders.

"Both of these establishments have prior violations," Pacheco said. "Neither establishment can make a justification for what they did. They both violated the law for whatever reason. It's a responsibility, is what it comes down to. … Whether it's a mom-and-pop shop or a massive conglomerate like Walmart, they have the exact same responsibility."

Pacheco said that all the liquor license holders were informed about the recent undercover compliance checks and that it was not a surprise. After the two businesses were caught, police hand-delivered notices of the violation, he said.

Pacheco said that a first violation typically results in a 1- or 2-day suspension of the liquor license and that further punishment is typically based on past practices.

"We have have ability to suspend, revoke, refine," he said. "We are the licensing authority."

Representatives from both business said that they also take the matter seriously, and they are working to make sure that minors are not sold alcohol at their establishments.

"Walmart has no tolerance for the sale of alcohol to underage customers," said Betsy Harden, a Walmart spokesperson. "We strive to comply with all laws relating to the sale of age-restricted merchandise to underage customers."

Harden said the store has technology to remind associates to check identification cards and the ages of customers who are buying their beer and wine. But she said that ultimately "it's on them" to actually enforce the company policy.

"Our cash registers are programmed to prompt the cashier to check a customer's identification and key in the customer's date of birth when they attempt to purchase an age-restricted item such as alcohol," Harden said. "We have strong training requirements in place but in order to help ensure compliance going forward, we have provided additional training for all associates who sell alcohol."

A restaurant owner at China Garden wasn't available, but a worker there who would only identify herself as Margaret said that the restaurant has been open for 45 years and they have reminders for servers to check IDs when hard drinks are served. Margaret was contrite and said "the girl" who was responsible for the recent violation made the mistake "for the first time" and was "very upset" about it.

"We try to be very careful," Margaret said. "We have a note here: Check ID. Every single time."